Product discovery & research · Core

Riskiest assumption

Also called: RAT

ELI5

The guess most likely to break the idea.

Used in conversation

“The riskiest assumption is that hospitals can share the required data.”

Definition

The important belief with the weakest evidence and greatest potential to invalidate the plan.

Here “Riskiest assumption” means: The important belief with the weakest evidence and greatest potential to invalidate the plan.

Pitch context

You will see “Riskiest assumption” in product strategy decks, roadmaps, experiments and architecture reviews when the discussion reaches product discovery & research.

Why it matters: It helps a reader interpret product discovery & research without confusing the measure, decision, role or evidence being discussed.

Sources & evidence · 2

Supporting source families. This entry is an editorial synthesis rather than a quotation from one canonical glossary.

Scrum Guides — The Scrum Guide — official current versionSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
National Institute of Standards and Technology — Computer Security Resource Center GlossarySupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16